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| UK rescue team heading to Haiti | UK rescue team heading to Haiti |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| British aid workers have arrived in the Caribbean to assist rescue and relief efforts following the devastating earthquake in Haiti on Wednesday. | British aid workers have arrived in the Caribbean to assist rescue and relief efforts following the devastating earthquake in Haiti on Wednesday. |
| A team from the UK government and 71 rescue specialists with dogs and heavy equipment have landed in the neighbouring Dominican Republic. | A team from the UK government and 71 rescue specialists with dogs and heavy equipment have landed in the neighbouring Dominican Republic. |
| The 7.0-magnitude quake that hit south of the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince is feared to have killed thousands. | The 7.0-magnitude quake that hit south of the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince is feared to have killed thousands. |
| The UK Disasters Emergency Committee has launched an official appeal. | |
| The UK team's leader, Lancashire fire chief Mike Thomas, has said the rescuers are hoping to arrive in Port-au-Prince at about 0600 local time (1100 GMT) and are expecting "widespread devastation". | |
| The Red Cross has said three million people - up to a third of the population - may need emergency aid. | The Red Cross has said three million people - up to a third of the population - may need emergency aid. |
| DEC APPEAL The Disasters Emergency Committee is co-ordinating an appeal to help the people of HaitiThere are 13 charities involved including the British Red Cross, Islamic Relief and World VisionDonate via the href="www.dec.org.uk">DEC website or by telephoning 0370 60 60 900 | |
| International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander said there were believed to be around 32 British nationals living in Port-au-Prince but that there was no indication of any British casualties as yet. | International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander said there were believed to be around 32 British nationals living in Port-au-Prince but that there was no indication of any British casualties as yet. |
| Half of the nationals still had to make contact with the UK's ambassador to Haiti. | Half of the nationals still had to make contact with the UK's ambassador to Haiti. |
| Haitian President Rene Preval could not give an official estimate of the dead but said he had heard of figures of up to 50,000 people. | Haitian President Rene Preval could not give an official estimate of the dead but said he had heard of figures of up to 50,000 people. |
| The country's Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive said that more than 100,000 people could have died. | The country's Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive said that more than 100,000 people could have died. |
| Mr Alexander said: "Within half an hour of this tragedy, we mobilised 64 British firefighters and got them to Gatwick Airport". | Mr Alexander said: "Within half an hour of this tragedy, we mobilised 64 British firefighters and got them to Gatwick Airport". |
| The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) has launched an appeal for quake victims. | |
| It has already started to take donations and a spokesman said major UK broadcasters including the BBC, ITV, Sky and Channel 4 were due to broadcast the appeal. | It has already started to take donations and a spokesman said major UK broadcasters including the BBC, ITV, Sky and Channel 4 were due to broadcast the appeal. |
| Co-ordinated relief | |
| A spokesman for the committee said emergency supplies would be bought in areas of Haiti which had not been affected by the earthquake and would be sent directly to those in need. | A spokesman for the committee said emergency supplies would be bought in areas of Haiti which had not been affected by the earthquake and would be sent directly to those in need. |
| Aid agencies would bring in supplies from the Dominican Republic and then the US only if that option was not possible. | Aid agencies would bring in supplies from the Dominican Republic and then the US only if that option was not possible. |
| Mr Alexander said the UK was working in co-ordination with the US, the EU and the UN to provide relief to those affected. | Mr Alexander said the UK was working in co-ordination with the US, the EU and the UN to provide relief to those affected. |
| He said the rescue workers would prioritise rescuing people trapped in buildings and beneath rubble. | |
| Living sleep among dead at Haiti hospitals Haiti Earthquake: Your stories In pictures: Haiti rubble | |
| "But immediately after the rescue phase comes the recovery phase, providing the basic food, the basic shelter, the basic water, the basic health care that people so desperately need after an incident such as this," he said. | |
| He said many people were unwilling to go back into buildings: "So there are not just bodies in the streets but people are actually living on the streets at the moment". | He said many people were unwilling to go back into buildings: "So there are not just bodies in the streets but people are actually living on the streets at the moment". |
| The BBC's Matthew Price in Port-au-Prince said there were bodies lying by the side of the road in various places. | The BBC's Matthew Price in Port-au-Prince said there were bodies lying by the side of the road in various places. |
| He said he had visited one hospital where hundreds of bodies had been piled up and people had been wearing face masks because the stench "was absolutely revolting". | |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said he was "deeply saddened" by the disaster and has sent a message of support to the UN. | Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said he was "deeply saddened" by the disaster and has sent a message of support to the UN. |
| British charities have already pledged to help with Save the Children, which has 60 staff working in Haiti, releasing £50,000 and launching an appeal for £3m. | British charities have already pledged to help with Save the Children, which has 60 staff working in Haiti, releasing £50,000 and launching an appeal for £3m. |
| Save the Children's emergencies director Gareth Owen said the biggest challenge for aid workers was going to be logistics, adding that only half of the charity's staff in the country had been accounted for. | Save the Children's emergencies director Gareth Owen said the biggest challenge for aid workers was going to be logistics, adding that only half of the charity's staff in the country had been accounted for. |
| Have you or your family been affected by the earthquake? Are you taking part in the relief effort? If you have any information you wish to share with the BBC you can do so using the form below: | Have you or your family been affected by the earthquake? Are you taking part in the relief effort? If you have any information you wish to share with the BBC you can do so using the form below: |
| Send your pictures and video to yourpics@bbc.co.uk, text them to +44 7725 100 100 or if you have a large file you can click here to upload. | Send your pictures and video to yourpics@bbc.co.uk, text them to +44 7725 100 100 or if you have a large file you can click here to upload. |
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